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• UK government sanctions 6 figures involved in the trial of Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is facing 25 years in a penal colony after the rejection of his appeal
• 3 judges, 2 prosecutors and an 鈥榚xpert witness鈥� have been sanctioned for their part in his politically motivated targeting
• Mr Kara-Murza, a dual British national, is being persecuted by the Russian regime for his anti-war stance

The UK government has today (31 July 2023) sanctioned 6 individuals for their involvement in the politically motivated conviction of Vladimir Kara-Murza.

It comes as the Foreign Secretary calls for the immediate release of Mr Kara-Murza, who is facing 25 years in prison after his appeal against trumped up charges was rejected in Moscow today.

Mr Kara-Murza is an opposition politician, journalist, and human rights activist in Russia. He has received wide recognition for his work, including the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize. The charges against the dual British-Russian national included treason and spreading 鈥榢nowingly false information鈥� about the Russian armed forces. In reality, he bravely spoke the truth about Putin鈥檚 illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Those sanctioned today include 2 Moscow City Court Judges who convicted and sentenced Mr Kara-Murza, the lead prosecutor in the trial, and an 鈥榚xpert witness鈥� who provided false justification for Mr Kara-Murza鈥檚 detention following 鈥榓nalysis鈥� of his speech.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The rejection of Vladimir Kara-Murza鈥檚 appeal following his sentencing on bogus charges highlights the depravity of the Russian regime, and their complete disregard for human rights and freedom of expression.

Today we鈥檝e sanctioned 6 people connected with his case, sending a clear message that the UK will not stand for this treatment of one of its citizens.

We will continue to support Mr Kara-Murza and his family, who have worked tirelessly to try and secure his release. I call on Russia to release him immediately and unconditionally.

The following individuals have been sanctioned today and will be subject to travel bans and asset freezes:

• Vitaly Alexsandrovich Belitsky and Ekaterina Mikhailovna Dorokhina: both Moscow City Court Judges who convicted and sentenced Mr Kara-Murza on charges of treason, membership of an undesirable group and 鈥榝ake news鈥�
• Natalia Nikolaevna Dudar: a Basmanny District Court Judge who further extended Mr Kara-Murza鈥檚 pre-trial detention
• Boris Georgievich Loktionov: the lead prosecutor in the trial who described Mr Kara-Murza as 鈥渁n enemy of the state鈥� and pressed for the maximum sentence
• Danila Yurievich Mikheev: an expert witness for the Russian government who claimed Kara-Murza鈥檚 statements on the Russian armed forces amounted to knowingly spreading false information 鈥� which served as part of the basis on which judge Elena Lenskaya ordered Mr Kara-Murza be held
• Anna Evgenievna Potychko: Prosecutor who supported the denial of Kara-Murza鈥檚 appeal against his pre-trial detention

Today鈥檚 sanctions follow punitive measures the UK has already taken against those involved in Mr Kara-Murza鈥檚 case. In April 2023 the UK government sanctioned 5 individuals: a judge, 2 investigators involved in Mr Kara-Murza鈥檚 trial, and 2 FSB agents involved in his poisoning and arrest.

The UK will continue to ratchet up economic pressure on Russia until it ends its brutal invasion of Ukraine, including by implementing further sanctions and leaning in to tackle Russia鈥檚 attempts to circumvent the measures in place.

Background

In January 2023, the Minister for Europe met Mr Kara-Murza鈥檚 wife to discuss his case and treatment. British Embassy officials have attended Mr Kara-Murza鈥檚 court hearings in Moscow throughout the year. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) officials have consistently raised Mr Kara-Murza鈥檚 case with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Russian embassy and will continue to do so.

In 2020 the UK sanctioned Sergei Podoprigorov, the judge that went on to preside over Mr Kara-Murza鈥檚 trial, and Dmitry Komnov, the head of the detention centre where Mr Kara-Murza was held, under our Global Human Rights Regime for involvement in human rights violations against Sergei Magnitsky. Additionally, last year the government sanctioned Oleg Mikhailovich Sviridenko, the Russian Deputy Minister of Justice, who oversees the prosecution of criminal cases including that of Mr Kara-Murza.

In April 2023, following Mr Kara-Murza鈥檚 sentencing, the UK sanctioned Elena Lenskaya 鈥� a judge who approved Vladimir Kara-Murza鈥檚 arrest, along with Denis Kolesnikov and Andrei Zadachin 鈥� investigators involved in the arrest of Mr Kara-Murza.

FSB agents Alexander Samofal and Konstantin Kudryavtsev were also sanctioned. The pair were members of the operational team which followed Mr Kara-Murza on multiple trips before he was poisoned both in 2015, 3 months after close friend and fellow opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was assassinated, and 2017.

With international partners, the UK has invoked the OSCE鈥檚 Moscow Mechanism which evidenced Russia鈥檚 efforts to wage a campaign of repression against its own people. We are also taking forward the report鈥檚 recommendations, and have helped secure a United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur. They will be charged with undertaking country visits, acting on individual cases of reported violations and concerns of a broader nature, and raising public awareness and providing advice for technical cooperation.

Asset freeze

An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person.

Travel ban

A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.